Standardizing “ Yikao ”: An analysis of the reform in Arts College Entrance Examination (ACEE) in China in 2024

Abstract

In November 2023, the Ministry of Education of China issued a new document concerning the reform of the Yikao, also known as the Arts College Entrance Examination (ACEE), marking a new phase in the examination for all arts majors across mainland China. This study aims to explore the historical background, core changes, and implications of this reform, particularly focusing on the changes and impact on music candidates through an examination of the reformed “province-level examinations” of 30 provinces in China. Employing content analysis, we coded all data using emergent coding methodology. The findings revealed five key themes regarding the core changes of the new NACEE: (a) two streamlined categories—music performance and music education; (b) elevated standards for music literacy and professional competence in province-level examinations; (c) demands for music candidates to demonstrate robust musical skills; (e) higher requirement in academic scores; and (f) the intent to increase fairness and avoid corruption. The research emphasizes the trend toward standardized assessment in the field of music and underscores the potential challenges it may present for music candidates. While the reform of the Yikao aims to enhance fairness and standardization, it also raises concerns for non-standardized highly creative candidates.

Keywords

Arts college entrance examination music majors province-level examination

Introduction

In a global context, over the past few decades, entrance examinations and auditions have become one of the most common and primary means of determining candidate admissions to colleges of music (Lehmann, 2014; Payne & Ward, 2020). Conservatories often evaluate applicants through live auditions assessed by panels of instructors (Lehmann, 2014). Music entrance examinations also view candidates’ musicianship as one of the most critical criteria for admission consideration (Albert & Heiderscheit, 2023). Musicianship may be regarded as an intrinsic aptitude that encompasses musical knowledge and potential. This can be assessed through music performance, basic music theory, sight-reading, aural skills examinations, or other published evaluation tools, such as standardized and locally-constructed music aptitude and achievement tests (Branscome, 2013; Motycka, 1971). In addition to musical talent, some colleges consider non-musical factors such as high school transcripts, GPA, writing samples, and overall academic performance in their music program admissions (Brand, 1987; Branscome, 2013; Hime et al., 2014).

Among schools of music, auditions are a common method used by music academies to identify talented individuals for various instrumental classes and programs (Albert & Heiderscheit, 2023; Colwell, 2006; Lehmann, 2014; Payne & Ward, 2020). The performance-based audition, as conventionally used, can exclude potential college students who may not demonstrate exceptional musicality within the framework of Western European traditions. This exclusion occurs within an academy that predominantly operates within a 19th-century paradigm of musicianship (Abramo & Bernard, 2020; Bradley, 2007; Koza, 2009; Palmer, 2011). Although auditions are employed to predict future performance in music studies and professional success (Jørgensen, 2009), a traditional and single audition alone will not satisfy the requirements of an entrance examination for admission to a music programme. Historically, admission decisions to institutions have often relied on limited criteria that may act as discriminatory “gatekeepers” (Abramo & Bernard, 2020; Hsaio, 2014; Kaschub & Smith, 2014; Zwick, 2007).

In the United States, historically, the goal of music entrance examination was to standardize the language and criteria unique to admissions in music schools (Motycka, 1969), as standardized tests were originally introduced to reduce variations and the influence of background factors (Fagioli, 2013). Approaching the 21st century, standardized tests were often criticized for being perceived as biased against minorities (Crouse, 1988; Gould, 1996; Jencks & Phillips, 1998; Phelps, 2009) and reflecting only economic privilege (Phillips et al., 1998; Wilson, 1998). Consequently, some colleges have considered implementing more flexible and customized music entrance examinations that allow students to demonstrate their talents (Jørgensen, 2009).

China’s arts college entrance examination (ACEE or Yikao)

China’s arts college entrance examination (ACEE or known as Yikao), that is, the admissions examination for art disciplines, is a crucial component of the college and university admissions process for art disciplines in China (Yuan, 2016). All students seeking admission to art colleges or art majors in general colleges and universities must participate in the provincial unified art examinations, which have consistent examination syllabi established at the provincial level. It is important to note that the art examination is the primary means of admission for art majors or students in China (Li, 2015).

Although the country’s criteria for selecting talent are constantly adapting to the innovations of the times, the reform of the art exam has been relatively slow (Zhang, 2019). Historically, there used to be two main forms of music entrance exams in the past: provincial and school level. In 2021, the Ministry of Education released the Guiding Opinion on Further Strengthening and Enhancing the Examination and Enrollment Processes for Art Specialties. This marked the first instance since China’s establishment that the state had issued a comprehensive and directive policy concerning the examination of art specialties. It represented a significant step in the refinement and enhancement of the assessment procedures for art specialties within the framework of the new college entrance examination reform (Li et al., 2023). The guidelines stated that the reforms will be largely implemented by 2024, and this also means that 2024 will be the first year of implementation of the new arts college entrance examination (Zhang & Ling, 2024). Since the reform of China’s New Arts Entrance Examination (NACEE, or New Yikao) in 2024, provincial exams have become the primary means of music entrance exams, unifying the content, form, and standards of the exams in 31 provinces in mainland China. In an era where standardized tests are increasingly being questioned, the college entrance examination for music is gradually becoming more standardized in China.

Historical overview of the arts college entrance examination in China

The national college entrance examination, also known as Gaokao, is the nationwide examination provided for millions of young people to universities in China (Hamnett et al., 2019). This standardized educational testing system was established by the Ministry of Education in 1952 (Gu, 1981). It is the most important entrance examination organized by the Ministry of Education or provincial examination authorities in mainland China (Gu et al., 2017), and it is mandatory for all high school graduates applying for higher education. The system is linked to lifelong employment and government placement, ensuring career opportunities for every college graduate (Davey et al., 2007). Regular colleges and universities must use the National College Entrance Examination for student recruitment (Feng, 1999). Therefore, college entrance examinations are considered one of the most crucial examinations for many students, and they are typically offered only once in a lifetime (China Science and Technology University, 2006; China Youth on Line, 2006).

For candidates that are interested in applying for the music major, they will need to go through both the Gaokao as well as the Yikao (Arts College Entrance Examinations, ACEE), though their requirement for Gaokao will be less rigorous for these students as they have a separate requirement for the music major. The Arts College Entrance Examinations (ACEE, or Old Yikao) are divided into two forms: “province-level examinations” and “school-level examinations.” The distinct difference between the two is that the former are unified examinations organized by each province, including the content and formats, while the latter are the examinations organized by some universities independently (Liu, 2018). Though there were two types of examinations for music majors, province-level examinations played the major roles accompanied by greater popularity. The related documents show that in 2018, 30 provinces (out of a total of 31) in mainland China implemented the “province-level examinations.” On 16 September 2021, China’s Ministry of Education (MoE) issued a guideline on further strengthening and improving the examination and admission work of art majors (such as Music, Dance, Acting and Directing, Broadcasting and Hosting, Fine Arts and Design, and Calligraphy) in the schools of higher education. The document clearly stated that provinces should gradually expand the scope of the provincial unified examination for art majors, with the goal that all universities will administer the province-level examinations for art majors by 2024, which will become the main entrance examination for most colleges and universities with music programs in mainland China. Therefore, the importance of the Art College Entrance Examination (Yikao) is practically equivalent to Gaokao, except that it is only for candidates who want to enroll in music-related majors at their future universities (Yuan, 2016).

The earliest system regarding the discipline of music in modern Chinese educational history can be traced back to a document issued by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China on May 25th of 1937, in which one of the provisions stresses that the subjects of the college entrance examination for the music majors should not be exactly the same as the subjects of the entrance examination for other professions, and that candidates with unusual musical talent are easily admitted, but the criteria for admitting outstanding musical talent should still be seriously restricted (Zhang, 2008). This provision reflects the uniqueness of the examination for admission to the arts program as distinct from the examination for admission to the general culture program. In order to solve the difficulty of the inability of the unified examination to realize the uniqueness of the art profession, the document issued by the Ministry of Education in 1955 stipulated that colleges of music were permitted to implement the joint examination or separate admission (Chu, 2014). However, after the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, the Gaokao system endured a pronounced negative impact, and the entrance examination for art majors was also impacted as a result. It was not until 1989 that the admissions system for art colleges became more standardized, scientific, and advanced. The national documents stipulated that the admissions examination for art majors is divided into two examinations: the professional art examination and the cultural examination and that candidates must take the examination for all the cultural subjects stipulated by the state; the universities should strictly follow the method of selecting the best candidates according to the cultural examination to reach the admissions line and rank them according to the scores of the professional art examination.

In 2000, Jiangsu Province was the first province to implement a province-wide unified examination for typical music majors, with the minimum music examination scores and cultural scores required for admission set by the provincial recruitment office. This practice was then implemented in other provinces, and a provincial admission examination system for music began to be established. In 2004, for the first time, the Ministry of Education allowed the 31 independent art colleges to decide on their own the minimum scores required for admission to their art entrance examinations, while also subjecting them to regulation and supervision by provincial admission offices. This was the beginning of the school-level entrance examination for music majors. However, new problems emerged. As the demand for and scale of arts enrolment in colleges continue to expand, the admission requirements for both academic and arts-related course grades began to be lowered. More and more students and parents have begun to regard the arts examination (Yikao) as a kind of shortcut for candidates with poorer grades to enter good universities, directly leading to a sharp decline in the overall quality of arts graduates (Song et al., 2023; Yuan, 2016).

Therefore, in 2013, the Ministry of Education began to raise the minimum academic scores from Gaokao (academic scores are the total scores of subjects that are non-arts related such as Chinese, Metaethics, and foreign language) required for admission to art majors, and students applying for music majors could not achieve less than 65% of the academic courses scores of regular Gaokao candidates in the same year.

As a result, the year 2024 marks the commencement of a pioneering epoch for the entrance examination targeting music majors across China. On November 9th of 2023, the Ministry of Education issued a document specifying that from 2024 onwards, the province-level examinations would realize expansive penetration into art disciplines including Music, Dance, Acting and Directing, Broadcasting and Hosting, Fine Arts and Design, and Calligraphy across the diverse provinces. Whether it is the form of the examination, the content of the examination, the supervision of the examination, or the admission requirements, all have undergone radical changes.

Purpose of the study and research questions

While college entrance examinations for music majors typically include music performance and/or musicianship requirements, various countries, regions, and universities have their distinct criteria and standards. Despite the growing criticism toward standardized tests, the college entrance examination for music majors underwent reforms in 2024 and became more centralized. Furthermore, while China’s College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) has been extensively examined both locally and globally, the Arts College Entrance Examination (Yikao) has received limited empirical analysis or study. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the reform of China’s New Arts College Entrance Examination (NACEE, or New Yikao) for music candidates in 2024 and highlight the recent changes introduced in the 2024 reform of the arts college entrance examination (ACEE) through a comparison with the National Arts College Entrance Examination (NACEE). Additionally, we provide reflections and perspectives on the reform and elucidate the rationale behind these reforms and the challenges they pose to music candidates. Furthermore, we draw implications for music college entrance assessments from the Chinese arts college entrance examination model and offer suggestions for music candidates to navigate the challenges brought about by the 2024 reform.

To clarify the abbreviations of terms used in this paper, we will refer to the old system of Arts College Entrance Examinations prior to 2024 as ACEE or the “Old Yikao.” The new and reformed system will be referred to as the New Arts College Entrance Examinations, hereinafter referred to as NACEE or the “New Yikao.”

Research questions for the current study were as follows:

(1) What are the key differences and implications between China’s Yikao before and after the reform?

(2) What challenges emerge from the recent reform of China’s Yikao, and how do they impact stakeholders?

Methodology

Data source

We sourced data (Table 1) regarding the content of the arts college entrance examinations across 30 provinces (except Beijing) in 2023 from the official websites of provincial education examinations authority and the China Education Online portal. Data (Table 2) regarding The New Arts College Entrance Examination (NACEE) after the reform in 2024 were originally from the website of Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, the official websites of provincial education examinations authority, and the Yangguang Gaokao website.

Table 1.

Comparison of the ACEE between 30 provinces in mainland China in 2023 (pre-reform).

Province	Program	The minimum level of MER*	Sight-singing	Ear training	Music theory	Vocal Perf.	Instrument Perf.	General knowledge of music	Other subjects	Piano accompaniment	Required Repertoire^
Heilongjiang	Music performance (vocal and instrument);	37.5%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	√ (vocal)	×
Heilongjiang	Musicology	37.5%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×	√ (vocal)	×
Jilin	Music performance (vocal and instrument);	37.5%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	√ (vocal); × (instrument)	×
Jilin	Musicology	37.5%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×	√ (vocal); × (instrument)	×
Jiangsu	All music candidates	40%	√	√	√	Either one or both for additional scores		√	×	√ (vocal); × (instrument)	√ (vocal)
Qinghai	Musicology;	45.333%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×	√	×
Qinghai	Music performance	40%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	√	×
Guizhou	Vocal performance;	43.333%	√	√	×	√		×	×	√ (vocal)	×
	Instrument performance;		√	√	×	×		√	×
	Composition		√	√	√	×		√ (piano)	×
Xinjiang	All music candidates;	46%	√	√	√	√		√	√	×	×
Xinjiang	Musicology	46.667%	×	√	√	√		√	×	√ (vocal)	×
Yunnan	Vocal performance;		×	√	√	√ (major)		√	×
Yunnan	Instrument performance.		×	√	√	√		√(major)	×
Hainan	All music candidates	48.619%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	√
Jiangxi	All music candidates	50%	√	√	√	Either one		√	×	√ (vocal)	√ (vocal)
Xizang	All music candidates	50%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	×	× (vocal)
Zhejiang	All music candidates	50%	√	√	×	√		√	×	×	√ (vocal)
Hunan	Non-composition;	51.667%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	No piano accompaniment allowed	√ (vocal examination)
	Composition;	51.667%	√	√	√	×	√ (piano)	×	Harmony; Composing	No piano accompaniment allowed	√ (vocal examination)
	Musicology	52.5%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×	√ (vocal);	×
Shanghai	Vocal performance;	53.333%	√	√	√	√	×	×	×	× (instrument)
Shanghai	Instrument performance	53.333%	√	√	√	×	√	×	×	× (instrument)
Hebei	All music candidates	57.5%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	×
Liaoning	Musicology (music education);	58.333%	×	√	√	√	√	×	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	×
Liaoning	Music performance	58.333%	×	√	√	Either one		×	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	×
Guangdong	Musicology;	60%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×	√ (vocal);	√ (vocal, instrument)
	Music performance;	61.667% (vocal)57.333% (instrument)	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	× (instrument)	√ (vocal, instrument)
	Musicology	63.333%	√	√	√	√	√	√	×	√ (vocal);	×
Chongqing	Music performance.	63.333% (vocal and piano)53.333% (other instrument)	√	√	√	Either one		√	×	× (instrument)
Gansu	Vocal performance;	60%	×	√	√	√	×	×	×	× (vocal)	√ (vocal)
	Instrument performance;		×	√	√	×	√	×	×
	Composition		×	√	√	×	√ (piano)	×	Music theory; songwriting
Ningxia	All music candidates;	60%	√	√	√	√ or dance	√ or dance	×	×	√ (vocal)	√ (vocal)
Ningxia	Vocal performance.	60%	×	√	√	√	×	×	×	√ (vocal)	√ (vocal)
Tianjin	Instrument performance	60%	×	√	√	×	√	×	×	√	×
Anhui	All music candidates;	60.476%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	×
	Musicology;	51.25%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×
	Music theory	51.25%	√	√	√	√	√	√	×
Sichuan	Recording arts;	61.25%	√	√	√	×	√	×	Harmony knowledge; Songwriting	√ (vocal);× (instrument, except for pop instrument)	×
	Composition;	68.75%	√	√	√	×	√	×	Harmony knowledge; Songwriting; Instrumental composition
	Orchestra conducting and choral Conducting;	61.25%	√	√	√	×	√	×	Music theory; conducting techniques.
	Vocal performance;		√	√	√	√	×	×	×
	Instrument performance		√	√	√	×	√	×	×
Neimenggu	All music candidates	60.667%	√	√	√	Either one		×	√ (except for piano and accordion)	×	×
Guangxi	All music candidates	61.667%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	×
Fujian	All music candidates	65%	√	√	√	√	√	×	Musical theme recognition of Chinese and foreign famous repertoire	×	×
Henan	All music candidates.	65%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	√ (vocal)	×
Shandong	All music candidates;	66.667%	√	√	√	√	√	×	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	×
	Musicology;	67.6%	√	√	×	√	√	×	×
	Music performance	67.8%	√	√	×	Either one		×	×
Shaanxi	Recording arts	65.4%	√	√	√	Either one		√	Recognition of music recording; audio technology skills; general computer skills; general recording knowledge	√	×
Shanxi	All music candidates	68%	√	√	√	Either one		×	×	No piano accompaniment allowed (except for snare drum)	√ (vocal examination)
Hubei	All music candidates.	77%	√	√	√	Either one		√	×	√ (vocal);× (instrument)	√ (vocal, instrument, recognition, general knowledge of music)

If a single score is used to represent two or more programs, it indicates that these programs all have the same score.

Candidates are required to adhere the repertoire listed in the repertoire library.

Table 2.

The New Arts College Entrance Examination (NACEE) after the reform in 2024.

Categories	Subject	Scores	Total scores	Accompaniment	Restricted repertoire
Music performance
Instrument	Music theory	15	300	×	×
	Ear training	30
	Sight-singing	15
	Instrumental performance	240
Vocal	Music theory	15	300	×	×
	Ear training	30
	Sight-singing	15
	Vocal performance	240
Music education*	Music theory	15	300	×	×
	Ear training	30
	Sight-singing	15
	Instrumental performance	165 (if major)75 (if minor)
	Vocal performance	165 (if major)75 (if minor)

Music education candidates will need to choose either instrumental performance or vocal performance as major, but they would need to choose the latter as minor.

Analysis

We initially performed a document analysis (Bowen, 2009) to compare the content of the arts college entrance examination before and after the reforms. Document analysis, as a research method, provides detailed descriptions of a single phenomenon, event, organization, or program (Stake, 1995; Yin, 1994). Bowen (2009) described document analysis as involving skimming (superficial examination), reading (thorough examination), and interpretation. This iterative process blends elements of content analysis and thematic analysis. Content analysis involves organizing information into categories that are pertinent to the core questions of the research. After we conducted initial document analysis, consequently, we applied an emergent coding (Elliott, 2018; Stemler, 2000) to the data to (a) identify and categorize the primary effects of the transition from the ACEE (Old Yikao) to the NACEE (New Yikao); (b) calculate the Minimum Entrance Requirement (MER) level as a metric to assess the degree of difficulty music candidates face in meeting these minimum scores across different provinces; (c) illustrate specific content of the New Arts College Entrance Examination (NACEE, or New Yikao); and finally (d) employ sampling units coding to delineate themes arising from the implementation of the new examination system.

Throughout the process, the emergent coding approach involves commencing the analysis without a pre-existing theoretical framework. Instead, the researcher utilized the data under investigation to inductively develop an emergent theory which then was applied to analyze the subsequent data (Stemler, 2000). Following the emergent coding steps summarized by Haney et al. (1998), two authors independently reviewed the policy documents and developed initial checklists comprising a set of features. Subsequently, we compared the checklists and reconciled any differences emerged between them. We then independently applied coding using the consolidated checklist based on the 95% agreement to establish the reliability, and we repeated the previous steps until the required level of reliability was achieved. With emergent coding, we established the categories presented in the tables following some preliminary examination of the data, and we employed the sampling units in terms of the intuitive borders mentioned in the related document, such as subject, scores, accompaniment, and repertoire.

Results

To compare the specific content of ACEE (Old Yikao) policies in mainland China prior to the 2024 reform, we compiled data from 30 out of 31 provinces (excluding Beijing, as it did not have ACEE policies before 2024). Table 1 provides an overview of the subjects, accompanying formats, and repertoires of each province. The provinces are arranged in ascending order based on their level of MER with Heilongjiang and Jilin having the lowest MER and Shanxi and Hubei having the highest.

The Minimum Entrance Requirement (MER) level presented in Table 1 is a metric used to assess the degree of difficulty music candidates face in meeting these minimum scores across different provinces (Hamnett et al., 2019). In China, each province has its own set of regulations for the unified arts examination, which includes specific values for individual subjects, the total score, and the minimum score required for university entrance. The MER is calculated and adjusted each year based on the post-examination performance scores, which in some ways represents the level of performance of all candidates.

Essentially, the MER represents the ratio of the minimum score required for university admission to the total possible score in each province. The required MER score for university acceptance varies by province, with a higher MER indicating a more competitive admission process. The formula we used to calculate in this paper:

Level of MER = \frac{minimum entrance requirement score}{Overall score} \times 100 %

This MER data only represents data from 2023 ACEE (Old Yikao) before the reformed NACEE. For example, in Zhejiang, prior to the 2023 arts college entrance examination, an overall score of 100 was designated for music candidates in official documents. Following the examination, the Zhejiang Education Examinations Authority issued a minimum entrance requirement score of 50 for music majors in 2023. Consequently, Zhejiang’s Music Entrance Requirement (MER) level for music candidates = $\frac{50}{100}$ × 100% = 50% (passing rate).

We present Table 2 with the specific content of the New Arts College Entrance Examination (NACEE, or New Yikao) in 2024, including major categories, examination subjects, individual scores, total scores, accompaniment format, and restricted repertoire. The notable changes are NACEE required that all music candidates complete vocal and instrumental examinations without any accompaniment, and there was no restricted repertoire for these two examinations.

Table 3 encapsulates the key differences between the sight-singing; instrumental and vocal examination criteria before and after the 2024 reforms, highlighting the trend toward standardization and simplification in the newer system.

Table 3.

A content analysis between ACEE (old Yikao) and NACEE (new Yikao).

Examination category	Aspects	ACEE prior to 2024	NACEE after 2024
Sight-singing	Scale requirement	Varied by province. Henan required two ascending or two descending scales.	Requires singing a melody with one ascending or one descending scale.
	Tone prompting	Some provinces prompted for the first tone of the exam question.	Will prompt for a standard tone a1 before beginning.
	Notation format	Some provinces required simplified score; others allowed a choice.	Requires singing only in Western staff note reading.
	Variability	Specific requirements and content varied greatly from province to province.	More standardized approach to sight-singing.
Instrumental and vocal	Number of repertoire	Most demanding provinces required three pieces, with two drawn by assessors and one of the candidate’s choices.	Two pieces required, both chosen by the candidates without random selection.
	Source of repertoire	Some provinces had established repertoire libraries from which candidates must select from (e.g., Gansu, Jiangsu).	Candidates can choose all repertoire on their own as there will no longer be any repertoire libraries.
	Form of accompaniment	Options included audio accompaniment, live accompaniment by appointed coach, or no accompaniment.	No form of accompaniment allowed; candidates perform independently.
	Length of exam	Varied by province and exam type.	Standardized length of audition: Vocal exams extended to 6 min, instrumental to 8 min.
	Examination Supervision	Varied by province, with some having on-site adjudicators.	Exams conducted in video format with no adjudicators on site; centralized grading post-exam.
Music education major	Major Category	Examination was under the category of “musicology.”	New category targeted for music education candidates.

Through the sampling units coding, we delineated six principal impacts arising from the implementation of the new examination system. These impacts encompass a range of areas from curriculum structure to student preparedness and from institutional adaptation to broader educational objectives. They reflect the multifaceted nature of the reform and its wide-reaching implications for stakeholders. Below, we elaborate on these six main impacts, providing a comprehensive comparison of the pre- and post-reform landscapes.

a. Two streamlined categories—Music performance and music education: Before the reform, more than half of the provinces (16 provinces) do not have categorized exams for music candidates in their majors. The primary drawback was that individuals with diverse music concentrations, such as performance or education, were subjected to the same examination without any differentiation under the broad category of “musicology.” Only a select group of provinces—Heilongjiang, Qinghai, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, Shanghai, Gansu, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Sichuan, Liaoning, Shaanxi, and Jilin—had adopted a more refined and detailed system of examination for music majors. After the reform, all music candidates are classified into two main categories: music education and music performance, with the latter further divided into vocal and instrumental specialties. Furthermore, the examination subjects and scoring criteria varied depending on the candidates’ chosen majors. The introduction of these differentiated examinations under the new art examination policy has better aligned the assessment content with the specialized talent development needs of each major, thereby enhancing the scientific and methodical approach to the configuration of examination subjects. The examination system varies according to different music major, with certain provinces having adopted more detailed and specific examinations to better align with the talent development needs of different majors.

b. Elevated standards for music literacy and professional competence in province-level examinations: Previously, provincial-level examinations were generally perceived as less stringent compared to school-level examinations. Consequently, this leniency has enabled numerous music candidates to secure admission to higher-ranked universities based on their musical talent. However, the reformed policy changes have introduced a more comprehensive examination system with five subjects totaling a score of 300. These modifications result in elevated standards for music literacy and professional competence, thereby enhancing the requirements for music candidates in provincial-level examinations. However, this also presents a challenge to candidates in provinces where significant changes to examination subjects have occurred.

c. Demands for music candidates to demonstrate robust musical skills: The extended duration of instrumental and vocal exams can be attributed to the newfound autonomy granted to candidates in selecting their repertoire, along with the implementation of elevated national standards for musical proficiency. As candidates are now afforded greater freedom to choose pieces that best showcase their abilities and artistic expression, the examination process has naturally lengthened to accommodate this added flexibility. Furthermore, piano accompaniment is no longer permitted for music candidates, necessitating that their musical skills be more robust without the assistance of accompanying melodies.

d. Higher requirement in academic scores: Starting from 2025, academic scores will have greater significance in the overall assessment of candidates, indicating a shift toward a more comprehensive evaluation of music talents.

e. The intent to increase fairness and avoid corruption: In the reform, officials emphasized the “Separation of Examination and Assessment,” intending to enhance fairness by distinguishing the examination process from the assessment process. Assessors now evaluate candidates’ performances through recorded videos. These changes aim to diminish potential biases and fraudulent practices, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of assessment. Moreover, the exclusion of piano accompaniment, including any form of piano or pre-recorded audio accompaniment, aims to mitigate any potential manipulation or distortion in the assessment process.

Discussion

The data indicates that prior to the implementation of the new arts examination policy in 2024, all 30 provinces in mainland China, except Beijing, conducted a unified examination for music candidates. This uniformity suggests that there was a common standard for assessing music candidates across most of the country.

To answer the research question 1: What are the key differences and implications between China’s arts college entrance examination before and after the reform? The authority of the provincial joint examination has been reformed to a more standardized and systematic procedures, as reflected in the table 1, 2, and 3. The specific implementation of the art examination in each province is generally consistent. Prior to 2024, the policy and implementation of the arts college entrance examination varied considerably from province to province (Song et al., 2023). With the start of the new art examination reform, the provinces adjusted the implementation of the art examination in accordance with the national requirements of the program. This eliminated the previous situation of independent organization of arts college examinations in each province. At the same time, the idea that the Yikao is a shortcut (Deng, 2013; Xu, 2021; Zhang, 2019; Zhang & Ling, 2024) is being challenged, and the nation’s expectations for the academic performance of music candidates are increasing.

The first major change is that the assessment and oversight of examinations in the new Yikao (NACEE) are now more stringent and scientific compared to previous practices, with an emphasis on fairness (Yue & Zhang, 2023; Zhai, 2021). Provinces are mandated to play an active role in evaluating candidates’ performances by implementing a separation of examination from evaluation approach. This involves recording the entire process through audio and video means to ensure impartial marking. Regarding examination supervision, stringent measures are enforced to prevent cheating, including thorough assessments of candidates’ equipment and surroundings prior to online examinations. Additionally, limitations are placed on the number of on-site candidates for school-level examinations, as well as the number of students admitted, to ensure controlled testing environments and fair admissions processes. However, the effectiveness of these changes remains to be seen in the future.

The second change is as the country progresses toward implementing province-level examinations for all provinces, it is probable that school-level examinations will receive approval only under specific justifications (Song et al., 2021). Institutions implementing school-level examinations should submit their enrolment documents to the Ministry of Education after review and approval by the according provincial education administrative departments. For example, according to the official list of universities permitted to hold school-level examinations issued on the website of the Zhejiang Education Examination Authority, there is only one university targeted for music candidates. At the same time, the scheduling of school-level exams must not conflict with the scheduling of provincial entrance exams for admission, and school-level exams are only permitted to be organized locally, with no inter-provincial test centers.

The third major change is provinces have been asked to steadily increase the minimum scores of the academic subjects for admission to the college entrance examination for each major in the arts (Ming, 2023). For example, the minimum requirement of the academic scores for arts candidates could not be less than 75% of the minimum requirement scores for admission to the second level of undergraduate programmes for non-arts candidates in principle. This indicates that music candidates are no longer afforded the privilege of experiencing less academic rigor.

The fourth major change is the newly differentiated yet centralized music education major. Preceding the 2024 reform, music programs in several provinces were divided into musicology, music performance, composition, and recording arts. Musicology predominated among music candidates, with 422 universities offering this program prior to the reform, often encompassing music education. Post-reform, music majors have been streamlined into only two main categories: music performance and music education. It was not until 2021 that music education was recognized as a new major in the catalog of undergraduate majors, with over 500 colleges and universities in China now offering this program (Wang, 2020). Notably, the number of applicants and final admissions for music education majors is the highest among all music majors (Dai, 2022). However, the Chinese music education program faces challenges, including a lack of distinctive training models (Dai, 2022). Despite the emphasis on music education in the 2024 reform, the examination subjects for both music education and music performance majors remain largely similar, failing to adequately highlight the unique characteristics of the music education profession.

To answer research question 2: What potential challenges emerge from the recent reform of China’s NACEE, and how do they impact music candidates? Based on our analysis, it appears that music candidates will need to devote more effort and energy to prepare for the new Yikao (NACEE). Prior to the reform, our analysis of Minimum Entrance Requirement (MER) levels in 2023 indicated significant variability among provinces, with MERs ranging from 37.5% to 77%. Only five provinces had MERs above 60%, suggesting that higher MERs were relatively uncommon. The distribution of provinces with MER levels between 50% and 60% and those below 50% was nearly equal, indicating that for most provinces, the threshold to pass the old ACEE system was not particularly high. Additionally, some provinces, such as Zhejiang and Shaanxi, did not require a music theory examination, while others, like Tianjin and Yunnan, did not require sight-singing. However, after the reform, all provinces now include music theory, sight-singing, dictation, vocal music, and instrumental music as part of the examination. While the new arts college examination presents a challenge for candidates, it also offers an opportunity for fair competition. Previously, the MER levels suggested that while some provinces set higher entry bars, the majority maintained more accessible thresholds, reflecting differing educational focuses and resources.

Yet, following the reform, our analysis indicates a high degree of standardization in examination subjects and formats across most provinces. This suggests that as the status of provincial joint examinations becomes increasingly established, the impact of differences in provincial educational resources on candidates’ chances of entering prestigious universities diminishes. This, to some extent, fosters fair competition among candidates from various provinces.

Through the lens of duality, while officials may provide exemptions for exceptional candidates, the increased standardization of music exams can still pose a distinct challenge for highly creative, non-standardized music candidates. Standardized tests typically prioritize specific skills and knowledge, which may inadvertently suppress the creativity and originality that characterize such candidates (Haney & Madaus, 1989). These exams aim to assess proficiency in predetermined areas but often fail to capture the innovative thinking and unconventional approaches that creative individuals employ (Kohn, 2000). As a result, highly creative candidates may feel constrained by the rigid structure of standardized music exams, potentially impeding their ability to fully express their creativity and showcase their unique talents. This mismatch between standardized assessment methods and the creative abilities of candidates could lead to unconventional outcomes and present challenges for highly creative individuals as they navigate the exam process.

Implications

We analyzed the latest reform of China’s New Arts College Entrance Examination (NACEE) for music candidates in 2024 and compared this to the provincial policies of the music entrance examination in the year of 2023 before the reform. This 2024 reform is propelling the Chinese arts college entrance examination into a new era. Regarding music examinations, each province’s policy tends to be unified under the call of the nation, including the subject, content, scoring, and assessment of the examination. The 2024 NACEE presents both an opportunity and a challenge for Chinese music candidates. Though the NACEE stresses the importance of a standardized and equitable entrance examination, new music candidates must depart from the examination customs of past years and acclimate themselves to the new examination prerequisites. Simultaneously, the new art examination dispels the notion that the art examination is a “shortcut to enter a good university” that was prevalent in the past society (Song et al., 2023). The 2024 art examination policy represents a significant step forward in acknowledging the importance of both musical proficiency and academic skills.

In addition, accreditation standards and standardized tests could be seen as mechanisms aimed at introducing more uniformity and streamlining in the admissions processes. However, they might also be criticized for their potential inadequacy in accommodating the diverse philosophies, missions, and applicant demographics of different institutions due to a lack of flexibility and sensitivity (Payne & Ward, 2020). In contrast to China’s unified model of art exams, music entrance exams in most Western countries typically require students to independently enroll in their desired institution and then take that music school’s specific entrance audition. Under this model, the institution professors may have a better understanding of the candidate’s musical ability, strengths, and personality before enrolment. This will enable them to better identify the candidate’s potential for future development as they enter the professional study stage. There are, however, some drawbacks to the system of separate enrolment by institutions. When institutions have full control over the autonomy of admission of candidates, personal biases can negatively impact the fairness of the examination. Therefore, balancing the fairness and specificity of art examinations is a problem that art educators need to continuously explore.

The increased standardization of music exams may impact highly creative candidates in unexpected ways. In an era where creativity and soft skills are highly valued, the rigid standardization of the new Yikao (NACEE) could pose challenges in nurturing creative talents. This raises questions about whether the emphasis on standardized testing adequately addresses the multifaceted needs of students and prepares them for the demands of the modern workforce. It prompts reflection on how the examination system can be adjusted to better facilitate the cultivation of creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and other essential skills vital for success in today’s rapidly changing global landscape. Additionally, prioritizing standardized assessments over holistic approaches to education may neglect to recognize and nurture the diverse talents and abilities of individual students. Therefore, further research is imperative to understand how music candidates are adapting to these changes and the potential implications for cultivating creative talents in China in the future.

Footnotes

Author contributions

Yuqi Lin: Conceptualization; Data curation; Formal analysis; Investigation; Methodology; Writing – original draft.

Katy Ieong Cheng Ho Weatherly: Conceptualization; Investigation; Methodology; Project administration; Supervision; Validation; Writing – review & editing.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research is supported by University of Macau, grant number SRG2023-00012-FED.

ORCID iDs

Yuqi Lin

Katy Ieong Cheng Ho Weatherly

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